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The Pull List #96 – March 1, 2017

A weekly column in which Jake gives short blurbs about the comics he’s picked up that week. Reviewed in the order read, which varies but generally by increasing anticipation. Disclaimer: he knows very little about art, at least not enough to considerably honor such tremendous undertakings, so…yeh, there’s that.

She’s beauty, she’s grace, she’ll punch you in the face. She’s Ms. America Chavez. Extra-dimensional leader of the Ultimates, former Young Avenger and Teen Brigader (but, honestly, the less said about that last one, the better), America’s eponymously named solo series focus’s on her going to college. Which is an…interesting choice. Rivera’s script is a bit all over the place in terms of cohesion, but she has a lot of ground to cover, convoluted as America’s backstory is. Whether it’s a good decision to cover so much ground in the first issue is a matter of opinion. Still, there are some fun moments in here and a wealth of interesting supporting cast members are introduced. Quinones’s art is gorgeous and injects emotion with ease. The Rivera inking team and Villarrubia’s colors smooth out each scene and provide appropriate atmosphere. America is a strong start to a colorful series.

To the new Volume, my Rat Queens! It’s back to basics for everyone’s favorite, foul-mouthed female adventurers. Which is weird because last we left the lasses, things were not in a great place. But everything’s back to normal, without explanation or hint of mindfuckery. It’s perplexing, to say the least, but this issue is the best Rat Queens has been in a long time. Irreverent pen-and-paper setting, sass, sorcery, finding giant monsters and killing them in the face: all hallmarks of classic grade-A Rat Queens. The new volume brings a new artist, Gieni (though he’s actually draw covers for the series prior to this), which is a definite boon for the series. His art, expressive and dirty, is a definite boon for the series. Rat Queens is off to a strong second start.

The mission to rescue Anput was going so well, right up until Marc Spector got captured and had his head put on the chopping block. As Lemire’s cerebral epic winds to a close, the tension increases in turn. Smallwood and Bellaire do a wonderful job juxtaposing superheroic action with the Overvoid’s, er, otherworldliness. The stage is set. All that’s left is to bring in on home.

Captured and surrounded by a mob fueled by hate, how is Kate Bishop going to get out of this? Better question: how much snark is she going to give them? There’s a lot to love in this issue. From Kate’s dogged, sass-laden determination, to the mounting mystery in L.A. to the charming supporting cast. Romero and Bellaire continue to excel as there’s some truly flawless talent on display throughout the battle with the big bad. Hawkeye is great. No two ways about it.

So what did you pick up this week?
Agree or disagree with anything said here?
Let us know in the comments.